Whereas the minority stress theory focused almost exclusively on stress, an alternative emphasis has been on general psychological processes which, as previously mentioned, refer to established cognitive, affective, and social risk factors for mental health outcomes. Proponents of this approach have argued that the assumption underlying most research with sexual minorities is that the stressors they confront inevitably result in the clinical and developmental differences between heterosexuals and sexual minorities (Diamond, 2003; Savin-Williams, 2001). According to these researchers, the result has been an under-appreciation for the full range of normative psychological processes through which a sexual minority identity influences development and mental health (e.g., Diamond, Savin-Williams, & Dubé, 1999).
